# Disconnecting Car Battery

**URL:** <https://community.cartalk.com/t/disconnecting-car-battery/2082>\
**Category:** Maintenance/Repairs\
**Created:** [July 22, 2007, 11:37pm UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/disconnecting-car-battery/2082 "2007-07-22T23:37:20Z")\
**Posts on this page:** 2\
**Page:** 1

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**Author:** ![gpalz1](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/c89c15/32.png) [@gpalz1](https://community.cartalk.com/u/gpalz1)\
**Post date:** [July 22, 2007, 11:37pm UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/disconnecting-car-battery/2082/1 "2007-07-22T23:37:20Z")

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Which cable should I disconnect first? I’ve always heard the negative should be first, but I would think the positive should be first than the negative. Thank You. George

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**Author:** ![SteveF](https://sea1.discourse-cdn.com/cartalk/user_avatar/community.cartalk.com/stevef/32/2_2.png) [@SteveF](https://community.cartalk.com/u/SteveF)\
**Post date:** [July 22, 2007, 11:46pm UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/disconnecting-car-battery/2082/2 "2007-07-22T23:46:42Z")

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Disonnect the negative terminal first.

Electrically speaking, it makes absolutely no difference which terminal is disconnected first. The given advice is a safety consideration.

If you are working on the positive terminal first and your wrench touches any other metal part of the car (which is presumably grounded) you have created a short circuit. Not a good idea!

If the same accident happens when you are first tackling the negative terminal there is no problem.

The same rationale applies to connecting a battery. Connect the positive terminal first, then do the negative terminal.